Dark states of quantum search cause imperfect detection

Abstract

We consider a quantum walk where a detector repeatedly probes the system with fixed rate 1/τ until the walker is detected. This is a quantum version of the first-passage problem. We focus on the total probability P_{det} that the particle is eventually detected in some target state, for example, on a node r_{d} on a graph, after an arbitrary number of detection attempts. Analyzing the dark and bright states for finite graphs and more generally for systems with a discrete spectrum, we provide an explicit formula for P_{det} in terms of the energy eigenstates which is generically τ independent. We find that disorder in the underlying Hamiltonian renders perfect detection, P_{det}=1, and then expose the role of symmetry with respect to suboptimal detection. Specifically, we give a simple upper bound for P_{det} that is controlled by the number of equivalent (with respect to the detection) states in the system. We also extend our results to infinite systems, for example, the detection probability of a quantum walk on a line, which is τ dependent and less than half, well below Polya's optimal detection for a classical random walk.